Cape Epic Cycle Tour winner Yolandi de Villiers (Merida) showed no mercy, as she ripped the ladies bunch to pieces within the first 5km of the race.
But when Schoeman reacted to her furious speed and lifted her own pace, the effect was that only Minette Naude (Harmony Team Cape Town), Robyn de Groot (Team Proline Computers – Gauteng) and Lize Bole (Team Harmony – Gauteng) reached the summit with Schoeman and De Villiers.
As the group reached the summit of the climb, De Villiers attacked again leaving Bole behind and in her wake, splintered bunches trying to regroup to chase this break-away attack.
By the time the leaders got to Wittedrift, it was clear that this 2min time-gap break was going to stay away in front.
A duel developed between Naude and Schoeman 44km into race as they sped up the very steep Wittedrift Climb to contest the Queen of the Mountain Title, but Schoeman out-sprinted Naude to take the QOM Title, once again earning her title as one of the best climbers in the country.
With 9km to go Naude launched another attack to leave De Groot behind, but she fought back again to rejoin the group with 7km to go, and it became clear that the race would end in a sprint finish.
De Groot started the sprint with 300m to go with Schoeman on her wheel and with Naude on her left-hand side, until Schoeman found more speed in reserve to pick up the pace with 200m to go.
Both she and Naude passed De Groot in the last 100m, but it was Schoeman who managed to keep her lead to win in a thrilling 03.03.25, with Naude second, De Groot third, and De Villiers fourth, all in the same time.
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